lookholter



E. LOOKHOLTER.

TIRE cone.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.3. HHS.

Patented Dec. 30, 1.919.

' ATTORNhY ESREAL LOOKHOLTEB, 013' CHICAGO, 'IIJaDvTOIS.

TIRE-GORE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

Application filed August 3,1918}. SerialNo. 248,105.

To all whom z't may'concem:

Be it known that I, ESREAL LOOKHOLTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in" the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Tire-Core, of which the following is aspecification.

Heretofore, in the' vulcanization of the casings of pneumatic tires, it has beencustomary to employ an innercore formed of rubber filled with compressed air. These cores were necessarilymade andemploye'd in various sizes so as to conform to the interior dimensions ofthe various sizes of tire-cases. The fact that they weremadeof rubber a material subject to constantdeterioration by reason of the excessive-heat to which they were subjected during the process of vulcanizationand requirement of numerous sizes, rendered their use" comparatively expen'sive.

My inventionrelatesto an improvement upon such cores; andtheobjeots I. have in view' are to substitute a metallic core for that of rubber, thereby gaining in thematter" of durability of the'core, and to make the same'expansible, so that, notonly will onesize 'of' core answer for use'in connection with more than one size of tire-case, but, in any event, willyieldingly and firmly force the case being vulcanized outwardly against the vulcanizer.

Other objects and advantages-ofthe in vention Will hereinafter appear and the novel features of the invention will be particularly'pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figural, is aside elevation of a tire-core embodying my invention, the same being shown as closed and ready for insertion within a tire-case;

Fig. 2, is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, is a view similar to Fig. 2, but illustrating the core after the same has been inserted within the tire-case and expanded the desired degree; and

Fig. 4, is a viewsimilar to Fig. 2, but illustrating a different means of expansion from that shown in the remaining figures.

Similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts in all the figures of the drawmg.

I propose to form the core, which in crosssection approximates the interior of a tire, of the usual segmental shape and length as heretofore, and preferably of sheet m'etal of a suflicient gage to withstand the strains to whichit will be subjected. Inthis instance, the core is formed of three longitudinal sections, namely, the bottonrsection 1, andthe two opposite side-sections 2, the latterbeingi mere 'duplications. The meeting edges of thebottom and side-sections 1 and 2, re}

spectively,-may be loosely connected below the axis of the core and atone ormore points in any desired manner sothat the side-sections are capable of 1 opening? and closing. In {the present instance, however, the metal of which the side andbottom-se'c tions are formedis extended to form a cen tral l1inge-member3 at eaeh side of the core, thehinge-members at eachside being con nected by pintlesd."

Various means may be provided for ex panding the core,'-which is accomplished by swinging the side-sections outwardly upon" their hinges, in this instance, thus forcing the sides of the tirecase laterally "against-the vulcanizer. In Figs. 1,2 and 3, ofthe'drawings; the means employed for this purpose areexpansion-springs"5, the same: beingtrated aform of core wherein'the springsfi are "omitted, and I the expansion of the sidesections is accomplished otherwise and more positively. In this latter construction, I

employ azthreaded post 7 securing the lower headed end 8, by means of a clip 9,.to the upper surface of the'bottoin section." The. upper end of the 4 postprojects above the" core through half-roundopenings '11, formed in the upper free meeting-edges of the sidesections and may terminate thereabove in a suitable operating-handle (not shown) or, in a squared head 12, adapted to receive a socket-wrench of the usual construction. Where expansion-springs are employed, as in the construction of core first described, some means for locking the core closed are essential, and such may also be used in connection with the construction of core last described, if desired.

Any convenient means may be employed for this purpose, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, illustrating one simple means that I have found convenient and suitable. Lugs 12 and 13, respectively, are located at about the centers of the meeting-edges of the side-sections 2, and to the lug 12, is pivoted, as at It, a U-shaped clamp 15 having a handle 16. When this handle is lowered, the opposing depending sides of the clamp embrace the two lugs 12 and 13, thus retaining the side sections together against the tendency of the springs. The core may now be inserted Within the tire-case, after which the sidesections are unlocked and the said sections permitted to expand under the action of the springs.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 4, the sections may be held closed by hand or otherwise during the insertion of the core, and after the core is in place within the tire-case the sides are expanded simply by rotating the threaded post 7. To accomplish this, the post 7 has threaded on it at any point above the hinges a nut 17, intended to bear against the inner sides of the two sidesections and thus divide or expand said sections. In order to reduce friction and render the operation easier, I may journal small rollers 19, in the opposite ends of the nuts. It will be evident that as the post is rotated to the left the nut will be fed upward and operating against the side-sections 2 will force the latter apart.

In operation, the core is first closed, and, if of the construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the sidesections are locked against the tendency of the springs 5. Having been inserted at the desired point within the tirecase, the sides are then liberated and forced outward by the springs, or, as in the construction illustrated in Fig. 4, the post 7 is rotated so as to feed the nut upward and thus spread the sides the desired degree.

Being formed wholly of metal, the core will not be affected by the heat of the vulcanizing process, as heretofore, and being capable of expansion, one size of core will answer for several sizes of tire-cases, so that, on the whole, a considerable saving is the result.

It will be obvious that the core may consist of more than three sections or of only two, the principle involved being to construct an expansible metal-core; also that the loose connections between the sections-- hinges in this instance-may be altered in construction and changed as to location; and likewise, various means may be substituted for locking the core against expansion and for accomplishing such expansion. While I very greatly prefer forming the core of sheet-metal, yet it is possible to form the same of wood or any other material. I therefore do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention in respect to material.

Having described my invention, What I claim is:

1. An arc-shaped tubular tire-core, comprising, a bottom and opposite side-walls or sections loosely connected to the bottom, and means for expanding said side-walls or sections.

2. An arc-shaped tubular tire-core, comprising, opposite expansible loosely connected side-walls or sections, means located above said loose connections for yieldingly expanding said side-walls or sections, and means for securing said side-walls or sec tions when closed against expansion.

3. An arc-shaped tubular tire-core, comprising, opposite expansible side-walls or sections, expandin -springs located between and bearing upon said side-walls or sections, and means for locking said side-walls or sections against such expansion.

4. An arc-shaped tubular tire-core, comprising, a bottom and opposite side-walls or sections, springs interposed between the sidewalls or sections for expanding the same means for securing the sections against expansion, and loose connections between the bottom and the side-walls or sections.

5. An arc-shaped tire-core, comprising, opposite externally curved side-walls or sections and an intermediate bottom-section to which the side-walls or sections are loosely connected, and means located between the side-walls or sections for expanding the same.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of a subscribing witness.

ESREAL LOOKHOLTER.

W'itness:

W. S. DUVALL. 

